Tomato peeling method



TOMATO FEELING METHOD 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May 28, 1954INVENl'ORS CLIFFORD K. WILSON 3 3 ROBERT H. MOUNT ROBERT o. .masuscn mmmm mm mm m m Ow hm Ow NF mm mm mm W 4 WWW ATTORNEY Jan- 16, 1962 c. K.WILSON ETAL 3,017,298

TOMATO FEELING METHOD ROBERT O. JABBUSCH ,3 BY M g. [M

ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1962 c. K. WILSON ET AL 3,017,298

' TOMATO FEELING METHOD Original Filed May 28. 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTORS OUFFORD K. WILSON ROBERT H. MOUNT ROBERT O. JABBUSGHBYM%/VLIW/- ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1962 Original Filed May 28. 1954- FIs -7C. K. WILSON ET AL TOMATO FEELING METHOD 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORSCLIFFORD K.WILSON ROBERT H. MOUNT ATTGRNEY ROBERT O. JABBUSCH Y A MA C.K. WILSON ET AL Jan. 16, 1962 TOMATO FEELING METHOD 6 Sheets-Sheet 5Original Filed May 28. 1954 233 GT o. JABBUSGH y W A'rrdfiNEY Jan. 16,1962 c. K. WILSON ETAL TOMATO FEELING METHOD 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 OriginalFiled May 28, 1954 o e e) o e e o S RN W Y O TW 1E T B N NH-UB R m o VKT HO M TT 4 MRR E m 1 RR 2 6 79 M 2 8 09 T 2 l 2' m 3,017,298 PatentedJan. 16, 1952 4 Claims. or. 146-434) This invention pertains to a methodof processing fruit and vegetables and more particularly relates to animproved method of removing skin from a piece of fruit or a vegetable.

This application is a division of our copending appli cation Serial No.433,064, filed May 28, 1954, and en titled Tomato Peeler, now Patent No.2,862,535.

While the peeling method of the present invention may be used in theprocessing of a variety of different fruit and vegetables, it isparticularly effective in processing tomatoes in the manner disclosed inthe following preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the past, various systems have been developed for peeling tomatoes byfirst treating each tomato with a solution of lye to disintegrate theskin, and then removing the separate pieces of disintegrated skin fromthe tomato body by mechanical means, such as by suction cups, or by jetsof water. In other systems, the skin of the tomato has been loosenedfrom the tomato body by the application of steam or hot water and thenthe loosened skin has been drawn off by some mechanical means. Thesesystems have not been commercially successful due in in part to the factthat the flesh of the tomatoes is scorched during the application ofexcessive heat, or to the fact that the flesh is extensively torn anddamaged during the mechanical skin removal operation. None of thesesystems have successfully coordinated the type and intensity ofmechanical peeling with the degree of looseness of the skin attained bya lye treatment, or the like, and as a result an unsatisfactory producthas resulted.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide anefficient method of removing skin from tomatoes without damaging thefiesh of the tomato.

Another object is to provide a method of processing a tomato in onecontinuous uninterrupted process which begins with a Whole unprocessedtomato and ends with a whole tomato which is cored and peeled and isready for canning.

Another object is to provide a method of peeling a tomato by applying tothe tomato a lye solution of predetermined concentration and at anoptimum temperature for a period or" time sufiicient to completelyloosen the skin from the tomato with no substantial rupturing of theskin, and subsequently removing the loosened skin by a gentle, positiverubbing and pushing action.

Another object is to provide a method of processing a tomato in acontinuous operation by completely loosening the skin from the body ofthe tomato, coring the tomato, cutting off the blossom end of the tomatoand mechanically separating the loosened skin from around the body.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of the tomato peeling machine of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective of one end of the tomato peelingmachine, particularly showing the drive mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through a coring unit taken along lines 4-4of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken along lines 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken along lines 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary diagrammatic perspective of the coring knifemounting used in the machine of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic perspective of the mechanism for controllingthe movements of the coring knives.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective of the blossom end cuttingmechanism.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along lines 101il ofFIG. 9. I

FIG. 11 is a vertical fragmentary section taken along lines Ill-11 ofFIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a side elevation of the skin removing unit used in the tomatopeeling machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary plan view of the skin removing unit of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a vertical section taken along lines 14-14 of FIG. 12.

In FIG. 1 and 2 the reference numeral 15 indicates an intermittentlymoving endless chain conveyor having an upper run movable toward theright, as seen in FIG. 2, to carry tomatoes 16 through a series ofprocessing stations provided in a frame support structure 17. At aloading station 18 each tomato 16 is impaled, stem end down, onupstanding prongs 19 which are mounted on the conveyor 15. As the tomatois carried to the right, it passes into a tank 26 in which it issubmerged for a predetermined period of time in a solution of lye. Afterleaving the tank 20, the tomato is carried along an uncovered, upwardlyinclined section 21 of the frame structure 17. In section 21, which willbe referred to hereinafter as the holding section, excess lye is drainedfrom the tomato and the tomato is exposed to the atmosphere .for a'fixedperiod of time during which the lye on the skin penetrates to thedesired depth to eiiect loosening of the skin from the flesh of thetomato body. From the holding section, the tomato passes into a steamchamber 22 in which steam at atmospheric pressure raises the temperatureof the tomato skin to a predetermined optimum peeling temperature. Afterleaving the steam chamber 22, the tomato is momentarily stopped over acoring unit 23 which has a blade movable upwardly through an opening inthe conveyor to remove the core from the tomato and sever the skin atthe bottom or stem end of the tomato from the tomato body. Following thecoring operation the tomato is moved under a floating cutter assembly 24which removes the top or blossom end of the tomato. At this stage, theskin of the tomato has been completely loosened from the flesh of thetomato body and has been separated from its connections at the stem andblossom ends of the tomato. The tomato is now discharged from theconveyor 15 and drops a short distance onto a skin removing unit 26where the skin is separated from the flesh of the tomato by a gentlepushing and rubbing action.

The support frame 17 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is a welded structure consisting ofa series of spaced vertical chan- 3 spaced parallel relation along theentire length of the frame 17. Adjacent the loading station 18 the upperrun of each chain is trained around a sprocket (not shown) which iskeyed to a transverse rotatable shaft 411 (FIG. 2). As it travels towardthe right, each chain (shown partly in phantom lines)'is guided over asprocket 41 keyed to a transverse rotatable shaft 42, then under twoidler sprockets 43 and 44 which are keyed to rotatable shafts 45 and 46,respectively, over an idler sprocket (not shown) which is keyed to arotatable shaft 48, and around a drive sprocket i (FIG. 3) keyed to adrive shaft 51. The lower run of each chain is held in horizontalposition by idler sprockets 52 (FIG. 2). A standard chain tensioningdevice 53 is used with each chain.

To provide a support for the tomatoes as they are carried through. themachine, the conveyor chains are fitted with channel-shaped transverseflights 55 (FIGS. 1 and 9) which are riveted to laterally projectingarms 56 of specially designed chain links 57. It will be understoodthat, on each of the outer chains 36 and 38 (FIG. 1), the bent link 57is located on the inner side of the chain with the arm 56 projectinginwardly therefrom, While the middle chain 37 has bent links 57 on bothsides with the arms 56 projecting in opposite directions. Each flight 55is provided with three bored openings 58, 59 and 60 through which thecoring knives are raisedto remove the cores from tomatoes temporarilystopped thereover. Around each coring opening there are four equallyspaced holes 61 (FIG. 9) in which the impaling pins 19 are welded.Surrounding the pins 19 is another set of holes 62 which are arranged ina uniform pattern to permit drainage of liquid and which serves as asight gage to facilitate the centering of the tomato on the impalingpins. It will be noted in FIG. 1 that in each flight the openings 58 and59 are adjacent, while the opening 61 in the flight is spaced fromopening 59 but is close to the opening 60 of the laterally adjacentflight. Accordingly, three double rows of impaling pins 19 are formed onthe conveyor flights with the pins in each row being about eight inchesapart.

The conveyor 15 is driven by the drive shaft 51 (FIG. 3) on which thethree drive sprockets 50 are keyed. The shaft 51 is intermittentlyrotated by a Geneva mechanism 63, the slotted element 64 of which iskeyed to the shaft 51 while the driving element 65 is keyed to acontinuousy rotating shaft 66. The shaft 66 is parallel to the shaft 51and is driven by an electric motor 67 that is drivingly connected to theshaft 66 through a chain 68 trained around a sprocket 7!) on the motorshaft and a sprocket 71 keyed to the shaft 66.

At the loading station 18, (FIG. 2) the impaling pins 19 are shroudedbehind a sheet metal guard 72 (FIGS. 1 and 2) adjacent which theoperators stand while placing the tomatoes on the impaling pins.

The lye solution tank 20 is a sheet metal structure which extendsentirely across the support frame 17 and is suitably secured thereto. Anopening (not shown) is provided in the forward wall '73 of the tankabove the level of the lye, affording an entrance passage for the chainconveyor 15. The conveyor 15 carries the tomatoes beneath the surface ofthe lye solution and out of the tank through an opening (not shown) inthe rear Wall 74. The tank 20 has removable covers 75 which are hingedto a transverse channel 76 of the frame 17. The density of the lyesolution is controlled by means of an automatic density controlinstrument 77 that communicates with the tank through wall 74. Toprevent the tomatoes from being dislodged as they pass through the lyesolution, a woven wire belt 78 is suspended in the tank above eachsingle row of impaling pins. These belts may be about four inches wideand have suflicient Weight to hold the tomatoes on the pins. A steamcoil 80 (FIG. 1) is mounted in the bottom of the tank to maintain thedesired temperature of the solution.

The uncovered section 21 of the conveyor constitutes a holding sectionwhich is of a length suflicient to keep each intermittently advancingtomato exposed to the atmosphere for a predetermined period during whichthe lye penetrates to the desired depth. The section 21 is defined byside walls 81 and 32 and a sloping bottom wall 83 (FIG. 2) which isconnected to the rear wall 74 of the lye tank and is arranged to returnto the tank liquid that drains from the tomatoes.

The steam chamber 22 consists of sheet metal panels secured to frameelements to form a box-like structure. The forward wall 85 (FIG. 3) 0fthe chamber is provided with six spaced openings 86 (three only beingillustrated), one opening being in alignment with each single line ofimpaling pins, and each opening being large enough to permit the passageof a pin and a tomato impaled thereon. To prevent the escape of steamfrom the chamber 22, a gate 87 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of flexible material issecured to the inner surface of the forward wall 85 covering eachopening 86. Each flexible gate may be secured to the wall only at itsupper edge so that the gate will fold upwardly and ride over each tomatoas it advances through the opening. Similar flexible gates 88 aremounted on the rear wall 89 of the steam chamber 22 adjacent exitopenings 90 (FIG. 3) through which the lines of tomatoes pass as theyleave the steam chamber. To maintain the temperature within the chamberat a desired level, a series of steam distributing pipes (not shown) arearranged in the steam chamber in such a manner that the steam emergingfrom the pipes at atmospheric pressure does not impinge directly on thetomatoes but is distributed around the tomatoes to provide a steam bathwhich maintains the temperature of the tomatoes at a desirable coringand peeling temperature.

After each flight of the conveyor leaves the steam chamber it isadvanced to a position directly above a coring unit 23. In FIG. 1 threecoring units 23 are indicated in dotted lines, one unit being alignedlongitudinally of the machine with each double row of impaling pins. Aswill be explained presently, each unit 23 has a pair of continuouslyrotating coring knives which are spaced so that each knife is directlybeneath one of the two coring openings provided in the conveyor flightsfor each double row of pins. When the conveyor comes to rest, eachrotating coring knife is moved upwardly through an opening in the flightto engage a tomato and cut out the core.

Each coring unit 23 (FIG. 5) comprises a housing 99 provided by fourside walls 100, 101, 192 and 103 and a top wall 104 (FIG. 6) suitablysecured together, as by welding. Each housing 99 is supported from atransverse channel 1ti6 (FIGS. 2 and 5) to which it is secured by tapbolts 167. In addition, the housing of the coring unit adjacent eachside edge of the frame may be secured to a longitudinal frame member 108(FIG. 2), while the housing of the center coring unit may be connectedby spacer members 109 (FIG. 5) to the adjacent walls of side coringunits.

Two knives 110 (FIG. 6) are provided in each coring unit, each knife 110being secured in a recess 111 (FIG. 7) at the upper end of a coringshaft 112. The shaft 112 is mounted for vertical reciprocation relativeto a sleeve 113 and for rotation with the sleeve 113. Each sleeve 113(FIG. 7) is rotatably supported in the housing 99 by means of a bearingassembly 114 which has an outer race 115 pressed in a hub 116 mounted onthe housing, and an inner race 117 secured by the set screw 118 to thesleeve 113. The sleeve 113 is rotated by means of a gear 119 which iskeyed to the sleeve inside the housing. Each gear 119 rests on a bearingassembly 129 which is supported from an adjacent wall of the housing bya support bracket 121. The coring knife shaft 112 is slidably engagednear its upper end in a bushing 122 (FIG. 7) that is pressed in theupper end of the sleeve 113 and, near its lower end, the shaft 112 isprovided with splines 124 that mate with splines 125 formed in a.

collar 126 pressed into the lower end of the sleeve 113. In this manner,rotation of each gear 119 will cause rotation of the sleeve 113 withresultant rotation of the collar 126 and the shaft 112 of the coringknife.

Both gears 119 are rotated by a single drive gear 12% (FIGS. 4 and whichis keyed to a shaft 129. A bevel gear 130, keyed on the lower end of theshaft 129, is in mesh with a bevel gear 131 carried on the end of adrive shaft 132 which extends entirely across the housing 99 and throughthe housing Walls 1111 and 163 (FIG. 5) and is driven from anindependent motor 133 (FIG. 3) through a chain 134 which is trainedaround a sprocket 136 on the shaft 132 and around a sprocket 137 on themotor shaft.

The splined connection of each shaft 112 with the rotatable sleeve 113permits the shaft to be vertically reciprocated while it is beingrotated. Vertical reciprocation of the shaft 112 is effected through ayoke 140 (FIGS. 7 and 8) which is mounted in the housing 99 and isprovided with oppositely projecting arms 141 and 142, each of whichcarries an apertured hub 145 at its outer end. A reduced diameterportion 146 (FlG. 7) of the knife shaft 112 is disposed in a bearingassembly 148 provided in the aperture of each hub 145 and the knifeshaft is locked in the inner race of the bearing assembly by a nut 149threaded on the lower end of the shaft.

The yoke 140 has a central upstanding T-shaped arrn 150 which has anelongated, horizontally disposed slot 151 therein. A stud 152 (FIGS. 4and 8) is secured in the peripheral portion of a gear 153 which isjournaled for rotation on a stub shaft 154 carried at the outer end of abracket 155 that is mounted in fixed position on the wall 102 of thehousing 99. The gear 153 is in mesh with a gear 156 which is keyed to ashaft 157 (FIG. 3) driven by a chain 158 from the continuously rotatingdrive shaft 66. As best seen in FIG. 8, the stud 152 on the gear 153extends into the slot 151 of the T-shaped arm 150 of the yoke 14%. Asthe gear 153 rotates, the stud 152 travels back and forth in the slotcausing the yoke to be raised and lowered. Since the conveyor 15 isintermittently advanced by the same drive shaft 66 which intermittentlyraises the yoke on which the two continuously rotating coring knives aremounted, it is evident that the raising of the yoke can be coordinatedwith the movement of the conveyor so that the continuously rotatingknives will be raised through openings in the conveyor flight to coretomatoes thereon while the flight is at rest directly above the coringknives.

While the tomato is at rest above the coring knife and during the actualcoring of the tomato, the tomato is held down by a flat steel plate 159(FIG. 11) which is fastened to the lower surface of a bracket 161) ofthe cutter assembly 24. As seen in PEG. 3, there are six brackets 160,one directly above each single line of impaling pins. Each bracket ismounted in freely pivoting relation on a rotatable shaft 161 which issecured on a channel 161a (FIG. 1) which is mounted transversely of themachine adjacent the rear wall of the steam chamber 22, and the lowerpivoted position of each bracket is determined by the abutment of a rearportion 160a (FIG. of the bracket against an adjustable screw 162threaded in the channel 161a. After the core of the tomato has beenremoved and the coring knife has been moved to a position below theconveyor 15, the conveyor is moved forwardly, or to the right as seen inFIG. 11, bringing the tomato under a cutter 163 which is rotatablymounted adjacent the outer end of the bracket. The cutter 163 (FIG. 9)is a spool-like structure consisting of two spaced cylindrical portions163a and 163]; connected by a sleeve 165, of reduced diameter, which iskeyed to a drive shaft 166 by a set screw 167. The shaft 166 iscontinuously rotated by means of a chain 168 (indicated in phantom lineson FIG. 9) which is trained around a sprocket 16% keyed to the rotatableshaft 161 and around a sprocket 170keyed to the drive shaft 166. Theshaft 161 is continuously driven by an electric motor 172 (FIG. 3)through a belt and pulley drive 173. A cutter blade 175 (FIG. 9) ismounted in the flanges 163a and 16322 in a substantially radialposition. At the extreme outer end of each bracket 1613 a gaging roller177 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 178 which extends between arms 179and 180. As shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 11, just as the cutterfinishes cutting off the blossom end of the tomato, the tomato iscontacted by the roller 177 thereby preventing the bracket from pivotingdownwardly and causing the rapidly rotating cutting blade 175 to cutinto the rear portion of the tomato. After the blossom end of the tomatohas been severed by the blade 175, the tomato is carried around the endof the endless chain conveyor 15 and is discharged by gravity onto aninclined chute (FIG. 3) from which the tomato drops a short distanceonto an endless belt 186 of the skin removing unit 26.

The skin removing unit 26 (FIGS. 12 and 13) comprises a frame supportstructure 1% which includes four vertical corner posts 191 welded attheir lower ends to the floor angles 33 (FIG. 2). The posts 191 aresecured in mutual supporting relation by transverse members 192 and 193and by upper longitudinal angles 194 and lower longitudinal angles 195.An idler shaft 197 is journaled for rotation at the intake, or left end,of t e frame in pillow blocks 1% mounted on the longitudinal angles 194,and a drive shaft 199 is journaled for rotation at the discharge end ofthe frame in pillow blocks 2110 mounted on the angles 194. When thetomatoes are dumped off the conveyor 15, they are received at the intakeend on the endless flexible belt 186 which travels longitudinally of theframe and carries the tomatoes to the discharge end of the skin removingunit 26.

' The belt 186 is made of flexible material such as rubber and has aplurality of rubber fingers 21 3 secured to and extending upwardly fromthe'surface of the belt. The belt-186 has two spaced V-belts 2M (FTG.l4) vulcanized to its lower surface adjacent the lateral edges of thebelt for frictional driving engagement in V-grooves 286 formed intubular drive puleys 2197. Each pulley 207 extends entirely across thebelt and is keyed to the associated shaft by a key 216 (FIG. 14). Thedrive shaft 199 (FIG. 3) is driven by a chain 213 from a continuouslyrotating countershaft 212 which is journaled transversely of the frameadjacent shaft 199. The chain 213 is trained around a sprocket 215,keyed to the continuously rotating countershaft 212, and around asprocket 216, keyed to the drive shaft 199. In this manner, when thecountershaft 212 is rotated, the rubber belt 186 is actuated to carrytomatoes toward the discharge end of the skin removing unit. Thecountershaft 212 is continuously rotated by means of a gear 217 which iskeyed to the shaft 212 and is in mesh with a gear 218 keyed to atransverse shaft 219. Theshaft 219 is driven by a chain and sprocketdrive 2211 from a shaft 221 which is in turn driven from thecontinuously rotating shaft 66.

A rolling movement is imparted to the tomatoes as they are advanced onthe rubber belt 186 through the use of a plurality of steel drag bars orplates 222 (FIG. 12)

which are disposed transversely of the unit directly above the belt; Thebars are arranged to be moved forwardly in the direction of movement ofthe belt 186 but at a slower speed than the belt. In this manner-thebars act as abutment members which retard the forward movement of thetomatoes carried on the belt 186. Each bar 222 (FIG. 13) is secured atits ends to transversely aligned links of endless chains 223 and 224which are disposed on opposite sides of the unit and are provided withinturued arms 225 (FIG. 14) to which the end portions of an anglesupport member 226 of the bar 222 are attached. The endless chain 223 istrained around a sprocket 227 (FIG. 12) which is journaled for freerotation on the idler shaft 197 and around one Wheel 228a (FIG. 13) of adouble sprocket 228 freely journaled on the drive shaft 199. The chain224 is trained around a sprocket 230 freely rotatable on the shaft 197,and around one wheel 231a of a double sprocket 231 freely journaled onthe drive shaft 199. The double sprocket 228 is driven by a chain 232which is trained around a sprocket 233 keyed to the continuouslyrotating countershaft 212 and around the sprocket wheel 2223b of thedouble sprocket 228. Similarly, the double sprocket 231 is driven by achain 235 which is trained around a sprocket 236 keyed to thecountershaft 212 and around the sprocket wheel 23121 of the doublesprocket 231. Thus, the continuously rotating countershaft 212 drivesboth of the double sprockets 228 and 231 through the chains 235, and thedouble sprockets 228 and 231 in turn drive the endless chains 223 and224 which carry the transverse bars 222.

The size of the various sprockets, which drive the drag bar chains 223and 224, are chosen in relation to the size of the sprockets that drivethe rubber belt 186 so that the drag bars have a slower linear speedthan the belt 186. Therefore, as a tomato is advanced by the belt, oneportion of the tomato is brought into abutting contact with the rearface of one of the drag bars 222 and, as the belt passes under the dragbar, the tomato is rotated. This action causes the rubber fingers of thebelt to consecutively contact the skin of the tomato tending to rotatethe tomato in counterclockwise direction (FIG. 12) against thefrictional drag caused by contact with the rear face of the bar 222.Thus, the frictional contact of the drag plate tends to pull the skin ina clockwise direction while the rubber fingers tend to move the skin ina counterclockwise direction. These oppositely directed frictionalforces rupture the skin and slide it away from the flesh of the tomato.

While the tomatoes are moved through the skin removing unit 26, water issprayed onto them by a plurality of spray pipes 239 (FIG. 2) which aremounted above the unit. This water spray removes lye and quickly flushesaway sections of skin as they are separated from the tomatoes.

When the tomatoes reach the discharge end of the unit 26 they aredirected onto a conveyor 240, of any suitable construction, whichcarries the tomatoes to a following process station. While on theconveyor 246, the tomatoes are subjected to the action of a spray ofwater from a plurality of spray pipes 241.

In summary, at the loading section 18 (FIG. 2) a tomato is impaled stemend down on the pins 19 in centered position over an opening in theendless chain conveyor 15. As the upper run of the conveyor is movedintermittently toward the right in FIG. 2, the tomato is carrieddownwardly into and through the lye solution in the tank 2%). While thetomato passes through the tank, a wire mesh belt '73 bears on the uppersurface of the tomato to prevent it from being dislodged from theimpaling pins. After leaving the lye tank 20, the tomato isintermittently advanced through the upwardly inclined holding section 21wherein it is exposed to atmospheric conditions for a predetermined timeto permit the lye to penetrate the skin to a depth suflicient tocompletely loosen the skin from the flesh of the tomato body. The tomatois then moved into the steam chamber 22 where saturated steam raises thetemperature of the tomato skin to a desirable peeling temperature. Thetomato is then carried out of the steam chamber and stopped directlyabove a continuously rotating coring knife which is then raised, bymeans of the yoke 140 (FIG. 7) to penetrate the tomato at the stem endand core the tomato. The blossom end of the tomato is then removed bythe rapidly rotating cutter 163 and the tomato is discharged over theend of the conveyor onto the skin removing unit 26.

While it is on the unit 26, each tomato is carried along by the rubberbelt 1% until the tomato abuts a drag plate 222 which retards theforward movement of the tomato and causes the tomato to be rotated ortumbled by the conveyor belt 186 as the belt passes underneath thetomato and the plate 222. The frictional rubbing and pushing action ofthe rubber belt and the drag plate on the skin causes the skin to beruptured and separated from the flesh of the tomato. The water sprayquickly flushes the particles of peel away from the tomato.

It is evident that the temperature, concentration, and

duration of application of the lye solution, the duration of the holdingperiod, and the nature of the skin heating process will vary, dependingupon the type of fruit or vegetable that is being processed. For somearticles, the skin may be satisfactorily loosened by submerging thearticle in a bath of heated liquid, such as scalding water. It is withinthe scope of the present invention to apply the lye solution to thearticle by methods other than submerging, as for instance, by cascadingthe lye solution over the article. It is also within the scope of theinvention to mount the coring knives and the blossom end cutters in theholding section 21 so that the machine may be shortened.

The following arrangement has been found to be highly satisfactory forpeeling tomatoes. The tomato is submerged for a period of from about 17to 19 seconds in an 18% to 20% lye solution which is at a temperature ofabout to 220 F. After the lye treatment, the tomato is transported inatmosphere for from about 28 to 32 seconds and then is subjected to theaction of saturated steam at atmospheric pressure for about 18 to 20seconds.

The rubber fingers on the skin-removing belt not only act on theloosened skin to rupture it, but also gently rub against exposedsurfaces of the tomato body to smooth over the surface and provide atomato with a firm surface and an improved uniform color. It will,therefore, be recognized that by use of the method and apparatusdisclosed herein, a tomato can be processed in a continuous operationwith no handling by the operator from the time the operator places thetomato on the impaling pins to the time the tomato is delivered inpeeled and cored con dition and with an improved color which qualifiesit for fancy quality, whole packs.

While a preferred method has been described in the present application,it will be understood that both are capable of variations andmodifications within the scope of the invention. It is to be understood,therefore, that the scope of the invention should be limited only by thescope and proper interpretation of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

l. A method of peeling tomatoes or the like comprising the steps ofsubjecting each tomato to the action of a skin-loosening medium toloosen the skin from the flesh at all points around the periphery of thetomato except at the blossom end and at the stem end, cutting into thetomato at the stem end to sever the loosened skin jacket from the stemend of the tomato and to remove the core of the tomato, cutting off theblossom.

end of the tomato, and frictionally gripping and separatmg the loosenedskin from the flesh of the tomato.

2. A method of peeling a tomato or the like comprising the steps ofsubjecting the tomato to the action of a solution of a skin-looseningmedium to loosen the skin, exposing said tomato to air at normal roomtemperature for a predetermined period of time, subjecting the tomato toa heated medium at atmospheric pressure to raise the temperature of thetomato, cutting into the stem end of the tomato to core the tomato whilethe tomato is at the elevated temperature, cutting Off the blossom endof the tomato, frictionally gripping spaced portions of the skin of thetomato, and moving one of said skin portions relative to the other.

3. A method of peeling a tomato or the like comprising the steps ofholding the tomato in a fixed oriented position, subjecting the tomatoto the action of a solution of lye, simultaneously exposing the tomatoto atmosphere and draining excess lye solution from the tomato,subjecting the tomato to the action of a heated atmosphere to increasethe activity of the lye and completely loosen the skin from the tomato,coring the to mato while holding the tomato in the aforementioned fixedoriented position, cutting off the blossom end of the tomato whileholding the tomato in said fixed position, frictionally gripping oneportion of the skin of the tomato, and intermittently contacting anotherportion of the skin of the tomato with frictional rubbing blows directedsubstantially tangentially of the tomato and tending to move the entireskin against the resistance of said frictional gripping.

4. A method of peeling a tomato or the like which comprises the steps ofsubjecting the tomato for a period of about 17 to 19 seconds to theaction of a solution of lye having a concentration of from 18% to 20%and a temperature of from about 195 to 220 F., removing the tomato fromthe lye solution and exposing it to air at atmospheric pressure andtemperature for about 28 to 32 seconds, subjecting the tomato to theaction of saturated steam at atmospheric pressure for about 18 to 0seconds, cutting into the stem end of the tomato to remove the core ofthe tomato, cutting 011 the blossom end of the tomato, frictionallygripping spaced portions of the skin of the tomato, and moving one ofsaid skin portions relative to the other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,241,529 Linville et al. Oct. 2, 1917 1,312,332 Kirino Aug. 5, 19191,448,532 Harding Mar. 13, 1923 1,581,071 Lowe Apr. 13, 1926 1,822,375Ryder Sept. 8, 1931 2,437,937 Childs et al. Mar. 16, 1948 2,682,287Rollins June 29, 1954 2,847,334 Kilburn et al. Aug. 12, 1958

1. A METHOD OF PEELING TOMATOES OR THE LIKE COMPRISING THE STEPS OFSUBJECTING EACH TOMATO TO THE ACTION OF A SKIN-LOOSENING MEDIUM TOLOOSEN THE SKIN FROM THE FLESH AT ALL POINTS AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THETOMATO EXCEPT AT THE BLOSSOM END AND AT THE STEM END, CUTTING INTO THETOMATO AT THE STEM END TO SEVER THE LOOSENED SKIN JACKET FROM THE STEMEND OF THE TOMATO AND TO REMOVE THE CORE OF THE TOMATO, CUTTING OFF THEBLOSSOM END OF THE TOMATO, AND FRICTIONALLY GRIPPING AND SEPARATING THELOOSENED SKIN FORM THE FLESH OF THE TOMATO.